Electronically retractable motorcycle wheel stabilizer device

Abstract

Aftermarket motorcycle stabilizer that attaches to motorcycle crash bars without making irreversible structural modifications to the motorcycle frame. The device is optimized to supplement motorcycle stability during intermittent periods of stopping or very slow speed operation. The stabilizer operates by way of a fixture (often a two part fixture) designed with various complementary indentations designed to allow the two parts of the stabilizer fixture to clamp onto different types of motorcycle crash bars. A pivoting arm is also attached to the fixture, along with an electronic actuator attached to both the arm and the fixture. The actuator raises or lowers the arm upon receiving appropriate manual or automatic signals. The opposite end of the arm has at least one small wheel. Thus extending the arm brings the wheel into contact with the ground, while retracting the arm will bring the arm generally flush with the motorcycle body.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A motorcycle stabilizer wheel device configured to be installed in a non-stabilizer wheel equipped, two wheel OEM motorcycle comprising a two wheel motorcycle body, handlebars, at least one side mounted crash bar, and a motorcycle battery, without requiring irreversible structural modifications to said OEM motorcycle, said device comprising:
 an electrically operated linear actuator with a motor side and an extendible actuator piston side, said electrically operated linear actuator configured to extend and retract an extendible actuator piston upon receiving power from said motorcycle battery; 
 a stabilizer mounting fixture configured to be mounted onto said at least one side mounted crash bar without requiring irreversible structural modifications to either said crash bar or said motorcycle body, wherein the sides of said stabilizer mounting fixture are curved 
 a stabilizer arm with a proximal end and a distal end, said arm configured with a stabilizer mounting fixture pivot component and an extendible actuator piston pivot component disposed near said proximal end of said arm, and a stabilizer wheel disposed near said distal end of said arm; 
 wherein said electrically operated linear actuator is further configured to attach to said stabilizer mounting fixture at said motor side, and further configured to pivotally attach to said stabilizer arm at said extendible actuator piston pivot component; 
 wherein, when said extendable actuator piston is fully extended due to application of electrical current to said electrically operated linear actuator, said stabilizer arm extends outwards from said motorcycle body for a sufficient distance to stabilize said motorcycle body in an upright position; 
 and wherein, when said extendable actuator piston is fully retracted due to application of an opposite polarity electrical current to said electrically operated linear actuator, said stabilizer arm retracts towards said motorcycle body a sufficient distance for said motorcycle to operate normally on two standard motorcycle wheels without interference from said stabilizer arm. 
 
     
     
       2. The motorcycle stabilizer wheel device of  claim 1 , wherein said motorcycle stabilizer wheel device further comprises an electrical switch and associated wiring reversibly attached to said handlebars, said electrical switch and associated wiring configured to draw electrical current from said motorcycle battery, and send either positive electrical current, negative electrical current, or no electrical current to said electrically operated linear actuator. 
     
     
       3. The motorcycle stabilizer wheel device of  claim 2 , wherein said electrical switch further comprises a processor, and at least one sensor, and wherein said electrical switch is further configured to either manually operate said actuator, or automatically operate said actuator upon response to signals from said at least one sensor. 
     
     
       4. The motorcycle stabilizer wheel device of  claim 1 , wherein said motorcycle further comprises at least one saddlebag, a dual seat disposed to accommodate both a driver and a passenger, at least one passenger footrest, and at least one crash bar disposed between said saddlebag and said passenger footrest;
 wherein for each said saddlebag and said passenger footrest, said motorcycle is further configured so that there is space between said saddlebag and said passenger footrest; 
 
       wherein said stabilizer mounting fixture is further configured to specifically mount on only said at least one crash bar disposed between said saddlebag, and said passenger footrest; 
       and wherein said stabilizer mounting fixture is further configured to fit into said space between said saddlebag and said passenger footrest. 
     
     
       5. The motorcycle wheel stabilizer device of  claim 1 , wherein said stabilizer mounting fixture is further configured to mount on a plurality of alternative motorcycle crash bar locations. 
     
     
       6. The motorcycle wheel stabilizer device of  claim 5 , wherein said arm is further configured to extend to a plurality of different arm lengths, thereby allowing said arm, to operate when said stabilizer mounting fixture is mounted on a plurality of alternative motorcycle crash bar locations. 
     
     
       7. The motorcycle wheel stabilizer device of  claim 1 , wherein each crash bar has both a lower crash bar portion and an upper crash bar portion; and
 wherein said stabilizer mounting fixture comprises a lower fixture portion with a plurality of indentations configured to accommodate said lower crash bar portion portion, and also comprises an upper fixture portion with a plurality of indentations configured to accommodate said upper crash bar portion. 
 
     
     
       8. The motorcycle wheel stabilizer device of  claim 7 , wherein said stabilizer mounting fixture lower fixture portion and said stabilizer mounting fixture upper fixture portion are each configured with a plurality of bolt holes;
 wherein said plurality of bolt holes are further disposed in said lower fixture portion and said upper fixture portion, and wherein said bolt holes are further disposed outside said plurality of indentations, so that when said lower fixture portion and said upper portion are bolted together, said stabilizer mounting fixture grips said crash bar tightly and is constrained from pivoting about said crash bar by at least one of the geometry of said motorcycle body or said crash bar. 
 
     
     
       9. The motorcycle wheel stabilizer device of  claim 8 , wherein said lower fixture portion of said stabilizer mounting fixture is further configured to form an arm holding clevis portion of a clevis fastener, and wherein said extendible actuator piston pivot component is disposed near the proximal end of said arm attaches to said arm holding clevis portion of a clevis fastener by way of an arm clevis pin. 
     
     
       10. The motorcycle wheel stabilizer device of  claim 1 , wherein said piston of said electrically operated linear actuator is mounted to said stabilizer arm using a piston clevis fastener. 
     
     
       11. The motorcycle wheel stabilizer device of  claim 1 , wherein said distal end of said arm is configured as a wheel clevis portion of a clevis fastener, and said stabilizer wheel is attached to said wheel clevis portion using a wheel clevis pin. 
     
     
       12. The motorcycle wheel stabilizer device of  claim 1 , further configuring two motorcycle wheel stabilizer devices, each disposed on opposite sides of said motorcycle, to stabilize said motorcycle. 
     
     
       13. The motorcycle wheel stabilizer device of  claim 1 , wherein said electrically operated linear actuator is further configured to receive electrical operating commands from a smartphone or other computer operated device. 
     
     
       14. The motorcycle wheel stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein said motorcycle has a plane of substantial symmetry, and said stabilizer device is configured so that said arm, when fully extended, extends at an angle directed more than 10 degrees away from said plane of substantial symmetry. 
     
     
       15. The motorcycle wheel stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein said stabilizer device is configured so that said arm, when fully extended, has an angle that is not within 10 degrees of perpendicular to the ground. 
     
     
       16. The motorcycle wheel stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein said stabilizer wheel acts as the primary stabilizer wheel, and wherein said stabilizer arm further comprises an additional secondary stabilizer wheel disposed on a pivoting stabilizer wheel support near said distil end of said arm;
 wherein said pivoting stabilizer wheel support further has a plurality of user adjustable positions allowing said secondary stabilizer wheel to act, relative to said primary stabilizer wheel, to bear some or all of a stabilizer load, thus facilitating slow speed movement of said motorcycle, or none of said stabilizer load. 
 
     
     
       17. The motorcycle wheel stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein said pivoting stabilizer wheel support further comprises at least one of springs, elastic elements, or pneumatic elements configured to absorb at least some of the shock when said secondary stabilizer wheel support is in a user adjustable position enabling said secondary stabilizer wheel to bear at least some of said stabilizer load, and further facilitating slow speed movement of said motorcycle. 
     
     
       18. A motorcycle stabilizer wheel device configured to be installed in a non-stabilizer wheel equipped, two wheel OEM motorcycle comprising a two wheel motorcycle body, handlebars, at least one side mounted crash bar, and a motorcycle battery, without requiring irreversible structural modifications to said OEM motorcycle, said device comprising:
 an electrically operated linear actuator with a motor side and an extendible actuator piston side, said electrically operated linear actuator configured to extend and retract an extendible actuator piston upon receiving power from said motorcycle battery; 
 a stabilizer mounting fixture configured to be mounted onto said at least one side mounted crash bar without requiring irreversible structural modifications to either said crash bar or said motorcycle body, wherein the sides of said stabilizer mounting fixture are curved 
 wherein said stabilizer mounting fixture is further configured to mount on a plurality of alternative motorcycle crash bar locations; 
 a stabilizer arm with a proximal end and a distal end, said arm configured with a stabilizer mounting fixture pivot component and an extendible actuator piston pivot component disposed near said proximal end of said arm, and a stabilizer wheel disposed near said distal end of said arm; 
 wherein said arm is further configured to extend to a plurality of different arm lengths, thereby allowing said arm, to operate when said stabilizer mounting fixture is mounted on a plurality of alternative motorcycle crash bar locations; 
 wherein said electrically operated linear actuator is further configured to attach to said stabilizer mounting fixture at said motor side, and further configured to pivotally attach to said stabilizer arm at said extendible actuator piston pivot component; 
 wherein, when said extendable actuator piston is fully extended due to application of electrical current to said electrically operated linear actuator, said stabilizer arm extends outwards from said motorcycle body for a sufficient distance to stabilize said motorcycle body in an upright position; 
 and wherein, when said extendable actuator piston is fully retracted due to application of an opposite polarity electrical current to said electrically operated linear actuator, said stabilizer arm retracts towards said motorcycle body a sufficient distance for said motorcycle to operate normally on two standard motorcycle wheels without interference from said stabilizer arm. 
 
     
     
       19. The motorcycle wheel stabilizer of  claim 18 , wherein said stabilizer arm further comprises said stabilizer wheel acting as the primary stabilizer wheel, and an additional secondary stabilizer wheel disposed on a pivoting stabilizer wheel support near said distil end of said arm, wherein said pivoting stabilizer wheel support further has a plurality of user adjustable positions allowing said secondary stabilizer wheel to act, relative to said primary stabilizer wheel, to bear some or all of the stabilizer load, thus facilitating slow speed movement of said motorcycle, or none of said stabilizer load.